How we helped the MND Association to Make A Mark

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Combining web, video and direct mail to make a mark on MND

If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that the world would be a better place without motor neurone disease.

So it was our pleasure to support the MND Association’s biggest ever research project, AMBRoSIA, which promised to bring us all one step closer to a world free from this heinous disease. We knew our approach to the campaign had to match both the scale and ambition of the research, so we went all-out to create an integrated digital and direct mail campaign.

The many ways to make a mark

We started with direct mail, combining a rational and emotional message with a tough, memorable call to action: join our researchers to make your mark on this cruel disease.

We then expanded into digital. Emails, Facebook and Twitter posts directed supporters to a landing page, which in turn guided them to a simple donation form.

Breaking down the science was essential to helping supporters connect. For this, we consulted with Professor Martin Turner, lead researcher on AMBRoSIA, and produced a video detailing the methodology and aims of the project. A second, personal appeal in the direct mail pack from Dr Jean Waters offered more information on the project, plus an emotional and sensitive perspective.

All about you, you, you

Personalisation was our secret weapon when it came to activating donors. Expertly-timed emails and a reminder letter helped to activate hesitant donors. ‘Thank you’s got a personal touch too: our second video praised every individual giver by featuring their fingerprints. ‘Every fingerprint,’ says the video narrator, ‘is a person who has made their mark’.

And what a mark we made

Targets? Smashed, across the board. With our integrated approach, donors had many ways and opportunities to make their mark, while the simple strategy helped to increase return on investment. Overall, we made more than 150% of our projected income, with all funds going directly to Project AMBRoSIA.